Bestselling author Dot Frank Discusses Her Latest Novel

New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank will be stopping by Barrington Books to present and sign her newest "summer" novel, THE LAST ORIGINAL WIFE tomorrow (Saturday), June 29th from 1-3pm.

Ms. Frank took some time out of her busy tour schedule to talk to me about what readers can expect from her latest “Lowcountry” southern tale.

AD: "In this book, like your other bestsellers, the South Carolina 'Lowcountry' feels like a character in and of itself. What is it about this particular landscape and locale that inspires you and makes you want to return to it in each story?"

DF: “The Lowcountry plays an important role in my books because it is the blood soaked land of my ancestors. It’s my starting place and where I I tend to wind up my days. I just love it – the smells, the air, the light. No other geography has that pull over me.”

AD: "The main character Leslie is at once feisty and vulnerable. Did you know this character when you set out to write the book or did she emerge along the way?"

DF: “All my protagonists are feisty! And vulnerable. The vulnerable makes them human and flawed but the feisty sees them through.”

AD: "The staff at Barrington Books all noted that the character of Wesley, Leslie’s husband, frequently made us want to strangle him! Was it difficult — or great fun — to write such a clueless and often insensitive character?"

DF: “Wesley was huge fun to write. He says every dumb thing every husband I know has said, I was dying laughing all the time.”

AD: "Your main characters face challenges, but always with a degree of humor and wit (or as one Goodreads reviewer called it, ‘zip and zing.’) What or who has inspired you to imbue your characters with some sass and a good dose of gumption?"

DF: “Sass and gumption are required to compliment feistiness. I push the character up against the wall and these characteristics help them react. When you use humor you can say almost anything. They say the art of a southern dressing down is the ability to tell someone to go to the devil while you make them look forward to the trip.”

AD: "Why do you think this book will appeal to readers?"

DF: “I’m lucky to have readers, men and women, who frequently ask themselves the same questions that I do about life.  And I hope The Last Original Wife will entertain them.  It sure cracked me up!”

AD: "Your books are frequently hailed as perfect summer beach reads. What does that phrase, 'perfect summer read' mean to you, and what will you be reading when you can relax on the beach after this tour?"  

DF: “If my books are hailed as perfect anything that’s simply amazing to me! A perfect beach read means people all over the country take me on vacation! Who wouldn’t want that?  I’m reading DARK STAR SAFARI by Paul Theroux because my family is headed to Tanzania this summer.  And I’m reading THE INTERESTINGS by Meg Wolitzer because I love all her books.”